Index device



Oct. H9 1926'. H-,603,406

J. H. RAND, JR

INDEX DEVICE Filed Jan. 6. 1923 a... /0 /If- DPM: 3ganci Eff T/72E f2-' Afro/@Niki Patented @et 19, 1926.

l''ED` 1 Ja., or ronawnn'na, new Yoan.

INDEX DEWE.

Application filed .anuary 6, 1923. Serial No. 610,970.

This invention relates to improvements in index or record devices.

Heretofore index or record devices comprising cards or card-holders having parts 5 or means for attachment to a support have been provided. j These cards or cardholders have been adapted to be arranged in overlapping order or arranged with the margins of the several cards or holders exposed one above another. The cards or cardholders have been scored or creased transversely so that a portion of or the body of the card or holder may be swung upwardly to permit data on the lower cards or card holders to be 5 examined or entries to be made thereon or to permit the cards to swing upwardly and be thrown back so that entries may be made on the backs of the cards or the like. This scoring or creasing which in effect results in the hinging of one portion of the card or holder to another portion of the card orholder, has in some instances been provided along two parallel lines, intending that when the card is swung on this hinge the card or holder would bend at the two parallel lines of scoring or creasing. rihe scoring or indenting of the material compresses the bers of the material adjacent the indentations, thereby rendering the bers more likely to be broken when the material is bent along the scored lines and also by forcing the fibers aside tends to release the bond between the fibers.- lt has been found in practice that as a rule the material of the cards is bent only along the weaker one of the two scored or creased lines. rlhis results in a very abrupt bending of the material of the card and while the cards or card holders are usually constructed of relatively tough paper or material, in use, repeated abrupt bending or folding of the card or card holder results in fracture of the fibers of the material along the lines on which it is bent and the portions of the cards or card-holders become torn or severed one from the other.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a record or index card or cardholder having a part which is hinged relatively to another part thereof in such manner that the hinged portion may be readily manipulated without any likelihood of breaking or tearing the material thereof; also to provide a card or card-holder'having an improved hinge connection between parts thereof whereby the hinged portion may be more easily moved to its several positions; and also to provide improvements in record or index card holders or cards in the other respects hereinafter set j forth and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a plan view of a card-holder em bodying the invention, the card therein being partly broken away to disclose the underlying portion of the holder.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof with the body of the card-holder thrown back, on its hinge joint.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a record or index card embodying the invention.

Fig. 4c is a fragmentary sectional pers ective view of one corner of the card-holder with the parts as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 1s a cross section of the card shown in Fig. 3 on line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of the lower portion of a card and its holder showing the same turned back to expose the rear face of the card.

rlhe invention, generally stated, comprises a card or card-holder for receiving record or index data or matter, having a iiexible portion or part connecting portions of the card or holder. lihe flexible portion is preferably formed integrally with the several portions of the card or holder which it connects and is of sufficient size so that in use it will be liexed or bent on curved lines,

avoiding any sharp, abrupt bending which i might tend to fracture or break the material of the card.

ln Fig. l there is illustrated a card A provided with side projections or tongues B which are adapted to be inserted beneath the ilan es of a record tray and whereby the car s are maintained in position. This card is of the type adapted to have index or record data imposed directly on it or to support a separate card or slip on which the index or record data appears.

The upper and lower portions of the card are connected by means of a flexible portion comprising preferably'a plurality of ilexible parts or connectors 10. This flexible portion, or as shown in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, these flexible connectors 10 are preferably formed of integral portions of the material forming the card, as by providino` a plurality of apertures or openings l1 in the card. In order to provide a relatively true hinge, the apertures or openings 11 and the connectors 10 therebetween are formed `in substantial alinement transversely of the card. The flexible connectors l0 are of sufficient length in a direction from the topto the bottom of the card to permit their bending on curved lines as indicated in Fig. 2. The connectors 10 may be readily formed in the card by a simple `stamping operation; they are, therefore,

very economical to produce and by reason of the fact that there is no abrupt bending, folding or creasing of the material from which the card is made, the card and the hinge are long lived. l

In Fig. 3 the invention is applied to a\ openings 11a formed therein in the manner specified for the device shown in Fig. l.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, the device may be provided with a hinge or flexible portion of the type disclosed hereinabove, adjacent the lower part of the card or holder. This lower hinge permits of the lower portion of the card-or holder being turned under as shown in Fig. 6, so that the reverse side of a card C in the sheath or pocket S may be examined or have entries made thereon without removing the card from the pocket. A s in the case of the hinge connector hereinabove described, this lower hinge preferably consists of a flexible portion formed by a plurality of flexible parts or connectors l2. These parts are preferably `formed of integral portions of the material forming the card or holder as by providing a plurality of apertures or openings 13 in the card or holder. The provision of this improved hinge at the bottom portion of the holder as well as at the top, facili tates a ready swinging or throwing backwardly of any holder or holders to permit anexamination of or operation upon a card or holder therebeneath and at the same time permits of ready inversion of a card on said holder so that both sides of the card on the face of the holder may be used for record purposes Without the necessity of removing the card from the holder.

In the accompanying claims,.the word card is used to designate a card upon which index or record matter is directly written or imposed, or a holder adapted to support another member having record or index matter appearing on it, such for example as a separate card or slip.

l. In an index or record device, a holder having means for attachment` to a support and means adjacent one edge thereof for releasably holding a card lor slip, a hinge in said holder adjacent said releasable l1olding means for permitting said card or Slip to be inverted without detaching it from said holdin means, said hinge including a plurality o alined spaced flexible parts.

2. In an index or record device, a holder having parts adapted to be attached to a support, a hinge in said holder adjacent said attaching portion, means adjacent a portion of said lliolder relatively remote from said attaching portion for releasably securing a card or slip on said holder, said holder be ing provided adjacent said card-securing means with a plurality of spaced flexible parts constituting a hinge and permitting a portion of said holder to swing relatively to the other portions of said holder to invert said card or slip.

3. In an index or record device, a holder having means for attachment to a support, said holder having a plurality of spaced flexible hinge portions, said hinge portions being integral with said holder and of greater flexibility than the remaining portions of said holder, and spaced apart to permit portions of said holder to be swung in reverse directions, to permit an examination of a holder or index member or members below said holder or to permit a card or index member on said holder to be inverted without removing it from said holderg v JAMES Il. RAND, JR. 

